WET DOOR 04 Boxster

[pat bryant]

Dear All,

Very recently I noticed a strip of the carpet trim on the drivers door (about 2 inches deep were it meets the body/door seal) was sodden and I just can not see where the water can be coming from. Any advice or comment would be most gratefully received.

Happy Christmas,

Pat Bryant

 

[Boxstercol]

Hi Pat,

Sounds like the door membrane has failed, quite a common issue on 986 / 987 Boxsters & 996 / 997 variants of the 911.

Advisable to get it sorted asap as water ingress isn't good especially as it can cause problems with the cars electronics - there is a control unit under the passenger seat which causes all sorts of (expensive) problems if it gets damp.

Some people have had some success by distantling the door card, taking the metal door panel off, cleaning the failed seal off & using silicon or similar. Otherwise a new door membrane is about £80 or so.

Hope you get it sorted & Happy Christmas!

 

[jonand]

Hi Pat

I had a similar problem earlier this year which turned out to be a small leak at the door mirror. Dissembled same, cleaned it up, dob of silicone and alls well []

Good luck and merry Christmas

Jon

 

[pat bryant]

Dear Both,

Thanks for taking time to reply. I did read a lot about the door membrane issue but when you remove the rubber plugs from the door bottom will water p$ss out if the membrane is breached? Mine are very dry, but then I do not know what the door interior construction is like. As I said it is only a thin strip of carpet on the door trim that is wet and I could imagine it being 'wicked' from water finding it's way somehow down the door seal.

Interesting that Jonand suggests a door mirror leak especially as the fit of mine is a little distressed and needs a look at. How on earth did you find that leak point? I expect I must, inevitably, strip the door. Also I've had it for 6 months now never under cover, nothing has changed, and the wet carpet thing suddenly appeared.

This is also a 2.7 in Seal Grey. Nice colour 'innit!

Happy New Year

Pat Bryant

 

[BartyB]

Hi Pat. I had exactly the same problem with my drivers door about 5 years ago. It turned out it was a leaking mirror gasket probably caused by the dealer who replaced the mirror motor the year previously, so it's worth exploring this first.

If the service history suggests your car has had any work done on the door lock or window regulator/motor in the last 18 months then it may well be the waterproof membrane (aka shedder) that has been torn or replaced incorrectly. These short videos will give you an insight into how to get to the mirror and remove the door card on the Boxster (they're the same as the 996 911 BTW)...

Video 1
Video 2
Video 3

Hope they help.

 

[pat bryant]

Dear Alan,

Thanks. I removed the door panel yesterday (not too bad a job and didn't break anything). The internal 'membrane' has some splits and I'm pretty sure the door mirror, badly fitted, is passing water; I did a watering can test. I will proceed with some repairs but I still do not understand this system. If the membrane deflects a small amount of water to dribble down the interior of the door, finally getting to the bottom, where are the drain points? I say a small amount because gluing a sheet to the outside of the frame does not seem the best way to do waterproofing. I suppose it must work if Dr Porsche includes it and, if the mastic is run right on the edges, then that would be a good seal.

Interesting that you say this ingress can happen through a bad door mirror seal even when the door membrane is working properly.

Best,

Pat

 

[BrianJ]

I used to have an 03 Boxster which also developed a small intermittent leak through the door mirror somewhere which dribbled down the inside of the door (ie the face of the door card you can see without removing anything) onto the carpet. Only occurred in downpour/pressure wash conditions and because the dribbles quickly ran down the down the door card it wasn't easy to spot. As I wasn't sure how it was getting in I tested a resolution by running round the joint with a bit of translucent mastic on my finger which was completely invisible. As it happened it sealed up the leak and I took no further action. Took 2 mins and involved no cost and no dismantling.